T-Pain Rips Homophobia In Hip Hop, Says Rappers Will Not Work With Frank Ocean Because He Is Gay

In an interview with VladTV, rapper T-Pain delves into the issue of homophobia in hip hop, as The Guardian reports. Asked whether the presence and success of Macklemore’s pro-equality anthem ‘Same Love’ signals a shift in more pro-gay attitudes in the world of hip hop, T-Pain responds,

“I think the radio is getting more gay friendly, I don’t think urban music or anything is getting more gay friendly. If that was the case Frank Ocean would be on a lot more songs. Like n—gers, like, I know n—gers that will not do a song with Frank Ocean just because he’s gay but they need him on the f—king song and that’s so terrible to me man. It’s like, dude, my lifestyle ain’t gonna change how people see you. That’s weird dude! What I do ain’t gonna affect nothing you got going on. I mean that’s me talking as Frank Ocean. Like he gotta feel like that bro, because, like, he was on the ‘Watch the Throne’ album before he came out and then when he came out it’s like he can’t get in the studio with Jay [Z] and Kanye [West] right now. It’s so fucking terrible. Like n—gers don’t wanna f—k with these motherf—kers man and that’s so f—ked up dude.”

Comments

If all the gay rappers had the balls to come out. Frank's living his truth. The rest of 'em can go to hell. [Ya, ya. I know that hell doesn't exist. It's a figure of speech.]

Posted by: Gigi | Feb 11, 2014 7:02:08 PM

Every time I read/hear someone use the word 'lifestyle' when talking about a gay person, I lose IQ's.

Posted by: Jeff | Feb 11, 2014 7:27:56 PM

I like what he says, but I wish he wouldn't repeatedly use the n-word in an interview.

Posted by: Brian in Texas | Feb 11, 2014 7:29:25 PM

He's speaking truth! Beyonce needs to tell Joe Camel (her husband) & Con-Ye West to quit acting and collaborate with him. Especially since they both have made pro-gay statements in the past, unless hypocrisy is alive & well in their mouths....

Posted by: CC | Feb 11, 2014 7:31:51 PM

I see rappers are still free & easy with the N word. I thought it was uncool to say n-ggahs. Didn't the NAACP give out a memo? Somehow I don't think sensitivity training is going to make much of a dent in those sentence constructions.

Posted by: will | Feb 11, 2014 7:32:09 PM

Why would gay people want to be associated with rap or rappers? The first rap song I heard was in 1979. The first time I saw some dumb asz with his pants sagging it was probably the grandfather of some of today's teens. In other words" It's f'ing old and dated.

Posted by: enchantra | Feb 11, 2014 7:39:02 PM

"If all the gay rappers had the balls to come out."

Many do, before they are successful, and doors are shut to them. It's the ones who have ridden the closet to success who need to come out.

Posted by: Randy | Feb 11, 2014 7:39:08 PM

Its funny he used JayZ and Kanye West, the ONLY two rappers I know who work with Frank Ocean after he came out, Frank was in JayZ's last album which came out ending of 2013 in a song called Oceans, so he needs to check his facts.

Jay Z and Kanye West are not very gay-friendly, and neither are many of the "divas" that gay men have worshipped over the years.

In particular, "divas" like Madonna, Lady Gaga and Britney have been counter-productive to the cause of gay and bisexual men in the music industry. They've lulled us into a false sense of progress.

These women's images have been based on lesbian stunts designed to feed into the sense of self-entitlement of straight guys. It's not a GLBT-friendly lesbianism.

T-Pain is correct to point to the homophobia of music in America and other countries. Here's a jaw-dropping fact : not one of the performers in the Itunes Top 100 singles or albums chart is an openly gay or bisexual male. Think about it - not one. This is scorched-earth anti-gay stuff we're seeing on Itunes.

Posted by: Fantasema Felena | Feb 11, 2014 8:15:27 PM

lifestyle, ugh. The "T" stands for Tool.

Posted by: MARCUS BACHMANN | Feb 11, 2014 8:21:58 PM

A gay blogger made the point recently that the hostility shown towards male homosexuals in the music industry is partly the result of the pornification of pop music. With the rise of male rappers who sing about "hos" and female singers who take their clothes off and sing about kissing girls (I hear you, Katy Perry), the music industry has adopted the characteristics of porn.

It's a valid point when you think about the nature of porn. Most porn allows male-female and female-female but not male-male. It is mostly hostile towards male-male in mixed-gender environments. Therefore, what you have in music is the model favored by straight guys and the women who feed into their sense of entitlement.

Maybe our greatest failure as gay men was to not see this coming. We're such porn addicts that we've turned a blind eye to the porny (and male-homophobic) double standard that has now infiltrated the mainstream. How much longer are we going to stay silent?

Posted by: Fantasema Felena | Feb 11, 2014 8:25:03 PM

Rappers should take a page from Blondie's "Rapture"...

The N-word is just childish and when I hear anyone using it the only thing I'm grateful for is it serves as an indicator that it's not someone I feel any need to interact with or respect.

Posted by: Just Sayin' | Feb 11, 2014 8:31:47 PM

Proof that both Jay-Z and Kanye are douchebags.

Posted by: JimmyCap | Feb 11, 2014 9:03:08 PM

Is it required that all rappers use such vulgar and crude language to express themselves, in order to keep their fans happy?

The best thing we can all do is refuse to buy any Rap that doesn't come from a gay Rapper. Money is their life blood. Take that away from the homophobic rappers and Frank Ocean will become their best friend.

Posted by: Mike Ryan | Feb 11, 2014 9:41:38 PM

Hyper masculine, aggressive, hate filled rap music, devoid of musical value and artistic beauty, has never seemed an environment welcoming of queer people. Blacks, who dominate rap, are on the whole very highly homophobic compared to other groups, rivaled only by Russians and Muslims.It is a culture dominated by very conservative Christian churches as a whole.

Posted by: John | Feb 11, 2014 10:38:12 PM

He said N**ga, not N**gger. White people may not understand but they are meant to be two totally different things.

Posted by: Cajiva | Feb 11, 2014 11:23:04 PM

He might have a point about Kanye, but Jay-Z wrote a letter supporting Frank after he came out in addition to having Frank featured on a song on his album that came out last summer. Beyonce also expressed her support for Frank when he came out, and she also had Frank featured on her album that came out in December.

I'm not saying Jay-Z hasn't said homophobic stuff in the past, but it's incorrect to say that Jay stopped working with Frank because he came out as bi.

Posted by: AJ | Feb 11, 2014 11:30:37 PM

I love when white people complain about black people using the n word. You just salty you can't use it anymore cuz then you seen(rightfully) as a racist. It's a word only we can reclaim so stay pressed.

Also I love how you are all hating on rap music and black rappers specifically but your saltine asses love some Macklemore and his horribly written song where he essentially starts it with a "no homo". Face it if white people were more dominant in urban music you'd find nothing wrong with it.

Kanye and Jay-Z are both such fakes. Both of them publicly SAY they support gay people but behind the scenes they are the opposite. Interestingly Jay-Z did not speak out in support of gay people until Obama the black President spoke out for us AND after Frank Ocean the black rapper came out. Would Jay-Z have spoken out if it was a white President ? He certainly did not voice support for the numerous white entertainers who were already out before Frank Ocean.

Don't get me started on the queen of lip syncing talentless Beyonce. She has made her millions mainly from gay male teenagers yet she has NOT ONCE spoken out to support gay people and has NOT ONCE done anything to help gay people. She is AWFUL. She is one of the least talented and most self absorbed airheads on the planet.

Posted by: Icebloo | Feb 11, 2014 11:49:59 PM

Well obviously ICEBLOO blacks will never satisfy you. Take your salty Azz somewhere and have several seats. And Derrick you are spot on. There was a time on Towleroad when Andy post about black people making homophobic statement these queens would yell N*gger all day and all night.